NUI Galway, within the frame of the Hydrogen Utilization and Green Energy (HUGE) project, will host a webinar entitled ‘Hydrogen Trucks: An Opportunity for Heavy Vehicles Decarbonisation’ on Tuesday, 22 June, from 11am-1pm CEST (10am-12pm Irish time). NUI Galway, as part of the HUGE project, oversees the transfer of hydrogen knowledge to a wide audience, including industry stakeholders, end-users and government agencies from a vast area in Europe, especially in Northwest Europe, Atlantic Area and Northern Periphery and Arctic regions. The webinar will feature a number of recognised specialists, including Alan Nolan, Coordinating Director with Hydrogen Mobility Ireland, and Mark Freymüller, CEO Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility AG, who will discuss the current situation of the decarbonisation of heavy vehicles in Europe, and presentations will focus on the present and future of hydrogen in the mobility sector. The webinar will share development plans for hydrogen trucks and their infrastructure in the partners’ regions in Ireland, Hydrogen Mobility Ireland, and Iceland, Icelandic New Energy, and will give an overview of the implemented hydrogen trucks project in Switzerland, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities, as well as the level of involvement of the Swiss government. Representatives from truck manufacturers Hyzon Motors and Volvo Trucks will also share the recent developments on the construction and delivery of hydrogen trucks on the road and the market opportunities they envisage. Webinar organiser, Dr Pau Farras Costa of NUI Galway’s School of Chemistry and deputy lead of the Energy Research Centre of the Ryan Institute, said: “Decarbonising road transport is an easier task than most people may think. The technology is available through either battery electric for small or fuel cell electric for small to large vehicles. To achieve the climate change targets for 2030 there is an urgency to put in place solutions that can impact on national carbon footprint in the short term. In this webinar, we aim to demonstrate that decarbonising the heavy vehicle sector is feasible if the necessary support is achieved.” Dr James Carton, Chair of Hydrogen Ireland, said: "Transport in Ireland represents an energy sector that must decarbonise not only to reduce climate changing emissions but also to enable breathable cities. Passenger car owners have seen a growth of suitable battery electric vehicles, as well as greater options for commuting such as walking and cycling; however trucking has few options to decarbonise. “Heavy duty vehicles account for only around 5% of vehicles on EU roads but they are responsible for 25% of all EU road transport emissions. Now we have a solution: hydrogen from renewables can be used to decarbonise trucks, buses and trains in Ireland. A survey conducted by Dublin City University revealed that if hydrogen trucks and hydrogen refuelling stations were available at similar costs to the incumbent, most truck fleet operators surveyed would invest in hydrogen vehicles, seeing them as future proof, zero emission vehicles. What Ireland needs now is our government to support the rollout of a national hydrogen refuelling infrastructure." To register for the webinar, or for more information visit Eventbrite at  https://bit.ly/2SGfbDV. -Ends-

A major EU-funded project led by NUI Galway has united with nine other EU H2020 projects to form the PREPARE Cluster (PREparedness and resPonse for emergency situAtions in euRopE. The two-year Irish-led project, PANDEM-2, aims to prepare Europe for future pandemics through innovations in training and to build capacity between EU member states responding to pandemics on a cross-border basis.The project has been awarded almost €10m in funding and is one of many in the PREPARE cluster that has recently received this support from the European Commission to work on different aspects of crisis management and response. PANDEM-2 will look specifically at developing a suite of novel concepts, services and IT systems to improve how the EU prepares for and responds to future pandemics. With combined funding of €72 million, each project in PREPARE has its own distinct aims and challenges, however, they all work towards one shared goal: to ensure better preparedness for future crises. While Ireland and Europe have responded robustly to the current pandemic, there is room for improvement in the sharing of information across borders and in adopting common and consistent policies. The PREPARE cluster will aim to strengthen Europe’s response to the ongoing pandemic and potential future crises by offering mutual support and developing research synergies. In recent years, there have been increasing instances of cross-border crises, including climate change, terrorism, international trade disputes and global health threats. These emergency situations require large-scale planning for preparedness and response for countries to be able to cope with unforeseen challenges. Protecting the health and security of citizens across Ireland and the EU in the face of these threats requires member states and agencies to share information and to collaborate on joint policies and approaches. It is for this reason that each of the ten projects is tackling challenges specifically looking at the preparedness and response phases of crisis management. Professor Máire Connolly of NUI Galway and Coordinator of the PANDEM-2 Project said: “We are delighted to be a part of the PREPARE cluster and working with so many excellent projects supported by the EU. COVID-19 has had a devastating economic, social and health impact on countries worldwide and we must adopt a collective approach in our response strategy to future crises. We look forward to will exploring synergies, research opportunities and delivering joint activities to to ensure Europe is better prepared for the next pandemic.” In working together, PREPARE will strive for stronger results and greater impact for crisis management. PANDEM-2, together with CO-VERSATILE, COVID-X, COVINFORM, EUR3KA, NO FEAR, PERISCOPE, PHIRI, STAMINA and STRATEGY will strengthen the response to the ongoing crisis and aim to be better prepared for future crises. -Ends-

Academics at NUI Galway’s Health Promotion Research Centre have cautioned over the impact that the digital divide may have amid increasing use of eHealth for promoting health and wellbeing. Ahead of the 25th annual Health Promotion Conference at NUI Galway, the co-chairs of the event, Dr Victoria Hogan and Dr Jane Sixsmith, highlighted the need for ongoing research on the issue of unequal access to technology and digital information and services.   This year’s online conference - Health Promotion through eHealth: Challenges and Opportunities - is open to all, and it takes place on Thursday, 24 June 2021, between 9am and 4pm. Register online at https://col.eventsair.com/ahp2021/registration Dr Victoria Hogan, conference co-chair, said: “Given the ubiquitous nature of digital technology in everyday life, and the increasing importance of technology for health, this is considered a priority area for both health promotion research and practice.” Dr Jane Sixsmith, conference co-chair, said: “The increasing use of digital technology is an opportunity for the promotion of health but the challenge is the inequality in access as a result of the digital divide. As we further develop and use these technologies for health we must ensure equity of access.” The Health Promotion Conference will be attended by Frank Feighan T.D., Minister for State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy. This year's event brings together leading academics, researchers, practitioners and policymakers working with eHealth. They will explore the use of eHealth in various settings such as the workplace; children’s health; mental health; and health promotion apps. It is hosted in partnership with the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive and the Association for Health Promotion Ireland. Professor Margaret M Barry, Established Chair in Health Promotion and Public Health at NUI Galway, will moderate a live panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges of eHealth for health promotion.  Professor Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia will draw on projects she has led which have addressed people’s everyday experiences of digital health - from googling symptoms to using discussion forums, websites, social media groups, YouTube, apps and wearable devices. She will also touch on the future of digital health in Covid-19 times. Professor Ernst Bohlmeijer, Professor of Mental Health Promotion, University of Twente, the Netherlands will focus on the use of eHealth and mHealth in promoting public mental health. Ian Power, chief executive of SpunOut.ie and 50808, will speak on bringing information and support to young people and to where young people are. Muiriosa Ryan, Social Media Manager, Health Service Executive will speak on the HSE’s social media strategy and how it is used in a global pandemic. Niamh Connolly, Marketing Officer at NUI Galway, will deliver a workshop on the use of social media for health promotion. Ends